Keech Hospice

Luton, United Kingdom

Technology from lighting control specialist, Helvar, has transformed the environment for patients and their families at Keech Hospice, near Luton, helping to provide a calm comfortable and easy to control space, fully sympathetic to the needs of its occupants.

Keech Hospice offers care for children battling with severe and terminal illness. Local installation specialist FAB AV had volunteered to donate a home cinema experience for the new Teenagers Day room being constructed. FAB enlisted the help of Helvar, alongside other vendors in the audio-visual and technology sectors, to improve the well-being for its users.

“We turned the area into an interactive media room where children could watch movies and play games on a big screen,” said Phillip Warris of FAB AV. “We felt that if we could control the lighting in the room better it would create the right ambience for kids to enjoy the entertainment more and immerse themselves in the experience. When the AV system is not being used, the lighting can be dimmed to pre-set scenes that help create a calmer mood for occupants in the room. We asked Helvar to contribute their expertise to the project and they were fantastic, supplying the kit free of charge. It’s been a great success, the patients and staff love it, and find it very easy to use.”

Helvar donated a 920 router which controls the DALI-connected light fittings in the room. The patients and staff can change light levels and intensity with one of the Digidim Modular panels, also supplied by Helvar, these have four buttons for pre-set scenes, as well as off and raise and lower buttons. The lighting can now be easily adjusted to suit patient needs, ensuring maximum comfort at all times.

The control system also utilises Helvar 312 multi-sensors which enable presence detection and daylight harvesting, so that when the room is unoccupied, energy is not wasted through unnecessary lighting.

FAB AV had installed an RGB LED strip recessed within the ceiling features, the DMX control for the colour change coming from the DMX output from the 920 router allowing room occupants easy changing of colour pre-sets using the Helvar control panels.

The new day room at Keech Hospice has drawn overwhelmingly positive reviews from patients and staff alike, with nurses and visitors surprised at how easy the control system is to use.

Helvar’s simple but effective lighting control system ensured that the right light was provided in the right place at the right time, enabling the rooms’ occupants to enjoy playing games or watching movies in a comfortable environment.

SOLUTIONS: DALI control system, DIGIDIM modular panels, 312 multi-sensors, Presence detection, Daylight harvesting, Colour control

Luton, United Kingdom